Jan 26 Allies for Children’s Best of 2023!
(January 26, 2024)
2023 was a big year for Allies for Children. It was our first full year with our new team all working together to improve the wellbeing of children in Allegheny County. Throughout 2023, we “set the stage” for even bigger and better work ahead. While laying that groundwork, though, we still had a lot of accomplishments in 2023!
2023 was a big year for our child welfare policy area, beginning our Child Welfare Stakeholders’ Group and even being recognized for our expertise in the area (see below). We were honored to be a part of the opening of the Rankin Community Center and can’t wait to see what they get up to in 2024! Campaigns that we are part of participated in advocacy surrounding WIC funding and the Medicaid unwinding – both of which are still ongoing. We paid close attention to the BEF Commission Hearings and are hopeful for what’s to come following the recent release of the commission’s report.
As we move forward into 2024, we just wanted to take a look back at some of our most popular blog posts and topics from 2023. These are the things that our Bold Voices readers were the most interested in, and they all continue to be relevant into the future:
A Mom and Advocate’s Thoughts on School Violence
AFC’s Executive Director offers her perspective, as both a mom and an advocate, on violence in schools.
Foster Care Unification & Reunification – A Meeting with City Council
Stakeholders came together to discuss the state of the child welfare system, and how it may better serve Allegheny County’s children.
All In This Together: National Youth Violence Prevention Week
How can we as a community combat the issue of youth violence, and what projects are already in action to do so?
How Can Families Prepare for Medicaid Unwinding?
With about a month left until the end of the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement, it’s important for families to know what to do to ensure that they and their children don’t lose coverage.
For more on the Medicaid Unwinding: Tracking the Medicaid Unwinding
Medicaid ‘unwinding’ in Pennsylvania is hurting children… (Post-Gazette)
School Voucher Debate Stalls Budget
As the 2023 state budget was being negotiated, legislators reached an impasse on the subject of school vouchers.
For more on the 2023 State Budget: State Budget: Increases for BEF, level funding for CTE and Home Visiting
Meet the Department of Children Initiatives
In a guest blog, the Director of the Allegheny County Department of Children Initiatives talks about the office’s work and what they’ll be doing in the future.
For more on the Department of Children Initiatives: County Executive Makes Exciting Investment to Support Child Care and Families
We want to thank all of our partners, friends, and supporters for everything along the road of 2023 – we couldn’t do this work without you. Stick around to see what we have in store for 2024!